We keep our time at a minimum without sacrificing progress or excellence, and encourage you to learn along the way,  participate in the process, at a reasonable price. We help you meet goals, enhance donor relationships, gain skills and deepen your professional approach to fundraising.

We provide a proposal with a reliable estimate for time and costs, based on hourly investment of our time.  You are billed only for time you use and we have no retainers or minimums.  You will be matched with a primary consultant and one other member of our firm with be fully informed on your progress and plans in order to provide extra support when and if useful.

Unless otherwise negotiated in advance, our fees are:

  • In Vermont, consulting at $1400/day prorated by the hour ($175), plus mileage. Since we work on larger projects with a primary and back-up consultant, you may occasionally ask for two of us to meet with you together:  this team approach is billed at $275/hour.

  • In locations requiring extensive travel, consulting is $1800/day with a half day minimum plus travel and any related costs. This generally means travel outside Vermont and Western NH.  Zoom with clients in any location is charged at the local rate of $175/hr.

  • Workshops, presentations and other group sessions are billed hourly with $350 minimum; the daily rate is charged for presentations of six hours or more.  Preparation time, including communications about agenda and goals, is billed at our hourly rate and included in the cost of the presentation..

  • Mileage is billed at the current federal rate.

  • Travel time that exceeds meeting and work time, in any location, is billed at $35/hr. in addition to consulting time  and mileage cost.

  • One hour is added to your monthly bill for ongoing projects, to cover multiple brief miscellaneous communications such as e-mail and phone.

We provide one no-charge initial meeting, conversation or remote meeting to learn about your needs and provide the information we will use to create a proposal. Once we have agreed to work together, your fee will include work in meetings (in person or by phone or other means), preparation, telephone/remote contact, writing, research and other independent work conducted on behalf of a client, in quarter-hour segments. DonorSearch research is billed on a per-prospect basis. Routine office, phone and copying costs are not billed. You will pay any subcontractors directly.

While we are happy to work on an ‘as needed’ basis for short assignments, clients on contract have scheduling preference. All clients involved in an ongoing project are expected to keep us informed regarding progress and changes so we can offer the most appropriate advice and assistance; you are charged for ‘updating’ time.

Clients may cancel a contract without penalty within 15 days of signing and may discontinue a contract with two weeks notice. We are fully insured, and are registered in the states that require it.

While we try to do everything reasonable to advance the mission of our clients, we do not solicit contributions, conduct direct mail, provide prospect lists, or maintain donor records or prospect lists. We abide by ethical standards and do not share confidential client or donor information between organizations.  We serve as advisors, consultants, researchers, trainers, writers and planners but do not staff or manage campaigns. Our recommendations are informed by professional experience but do not include sharing data or information specific to any individuals or clients. 

It is important that our clients are happy with the services provided, that we trust each other, and that fundraising goals are achieved.  We look for open communication and will work with you to make certain your concerns and needs are met.